Yuetao Liu1, Wenqian Xu2, Yifeng Xiong3, Guanhua Du4, Xuemei Qin5. 1. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Active Constituents Research and Utilization of TCM, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China. Electronic address: yuetaoliu@sxu.edu.cn. 2. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Active Constituents Research and Utilization of TCM, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China. 3. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Active Constituents Research and Utilization of TCM, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China. 4. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Active Constituents Research and Utilization of TCM, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Institute of Material Medical, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, PR China. 5. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanxi University, No. 92, Wucheng Road, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China; Shanxi Key Laboratory of Active Constituents Research and Utilization of TCM, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, Shanxi, PR China. Electronic address: qinxm@sxu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: HuangQi (HQ) is a major medicinal herb commonly used as an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas. It has been proved to be effective against heart failure (HF). However, its holistic therapeutic mechanism is not yet well explored. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects and action mechanism of HQ in adriamycin (ADR)-induced HF rats. METHODS: An integrative approach combining comprehensive echocardiography index (CEI) and metabonomics was conducted to assess the integral efficacy of HQ against HF. CEI was constructed to comprehensively evaluate the protection of HQ through principal component analysis of eight echocardiography parameters. Meanwhile, NMR-based untargeted metabolomic studies were performed to investigate the regulative effects of HQ coupled with correlation analysis. RESULTS: HQ showed significant regulatory effects on four echocardiography parameters (left ventricular diastolic diameter, left ventricular systolic wall thickness, ejection fraction and fractional shortening). The effect on comprehensive CEI also demonstrated the efficacy of HQ against HF, especially on the first principal component (PC1). HQ could exert marked metabolic regulations on five key metabolites related to HF (NAG, 3-hydroxybutyrate, glutamine, succinate and acetoacetate), which were mainly involved into alterations of energy metabolism, oxidative stress, hypertrophy, as well as inflammatory. Their correlation analysis revealed the relationship between the metabolic profiles and cardiac function, which further authenticated the systemic regulation of HQ against HF. CONCLUSION: Current evidences revealed that HQ was effective in control of HF from cardiac dysfunction and metabolic alterations. This study provided a useful approach for evaluating the efficacy of TCMs against HF.
BACKGROUND: HuangQi (HQ) is a major medicinal herb commonly used as an ingredient of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulas. It has been proved to be effective against heart failure (HF). However, its holistic therapeutic mechanism is not yet well explored. PURPOSE: The present study was designed to investigate the inhibitory effects and action mechanism of HQ in adriamycin (ADR)-induced HF rats. METHODS: An integrative approach combining comprehensive echocardiography index (CEI) and metabonomics was conducted to assess the integral efficacy of HQ against HF. CEI was constructed to comprehensively evaluate the protection of HQ through principal component analysis of eight echocardiography parameters. Meanwhile, NMR-based untargeted metabolomic studies were performed to investigate the regulative effects of HQ coupled with correlation analysis. RESULTS: HQ showed significant regulatory effects on four echocardiography parameters (left ventricular diastolic diameter, left ventricular systolic wall thickness, ejection fraction and fractional shortening). The effect on comprehensive CEI also demonstrated the efficacy of HQ against HF, especially on the first principal component (PC1). HQ could exert marked metabolic regulations on five key metabolites related to HF (NAG, 3-hydroxybutyrate, glutamine, succinate and acetoacetate), which were mainly involved into alterations of energy metabolism, oxidative stress, hypertrophy, as well as inflammatory. Their correlation analysis revealed the relationship between the metabolic profiles and cardiac function, which further authenticated the systemic regulation of HQ against HF. CONCLUSION: Current evidences revealed that HQ was effective in control of HF from cardiac dysfunction and metabolic alterations. This study provided a useful approach for evaluating the efficacy of TCMs against HF.